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    116 Results in the "Burned Cover" category


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      15 – Repaying Debts and Owing Favors

      15 – Repaying Debts and Owing Favors Cover
      by Tower Curator “So, about your parents—” Erika stopped Leslie before he could begin, holding up her hand. “The Fixer said they knew what they were doing, that they had escaped these kinds of situations before, and that they didn’t have time to elaborate. It’s been three days. I have seen no sign of them or Leah, and I don’t know what to do beyond trust that they’ll show up again, eventually.” As far as Erika was concerned, there was nothing more to say on the subject. Leaving like she had pissed…
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      15 – Moonlit Encounter

      15 – Moonlit Encounter Cover
      by Tower Curator Erika shooed out the last of Varn’s regular customers, locking the front doors for the night in the process. The idea that an arcade could have customers, let alone regulars, still shocked her every time she offered to watch the place. They weren’t many, but they existed. Alone for the evening, Erika did a little light cleaning. Rick did not pay her enough to get her working hard, no matter what kind of friendship they had. He had a rare prior engagement tonight, and nobody else was available, so…
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      14 – The Hunters Reconvene

      14 – The Hunters Reconvene Cover
      by Tower Curator The atmosphere within Varn’s suffocated Erika, making her feel like she was walking on eggshells. Not everyone was present. The Fixer still hadn’t made a peep since ordering Erika away from the motel; Erika tried sending texts, emails, and even tried calling up The Church to see if they had any idea what might have happened—in all three cases, she got no responses. Anna was the other glaring absence. Although The Castle had released her, she was at home with her mother. Erika approved, having…
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      14 – i – Suppression

      14 – i – Suppression Cover
      by Tower Curator Two birds fell, sniped from so far away that neither had any idea where the shots were coming from. Debates on how intelligent the birds were had been going back and forth since their appearance, but instinct drove them to lash out at anything nearby. The Art pulled back, dodging the sharp talons of an irate bird. Coils of tendrils concealed within her porcelain body tensed and thrust, sending her sharp, ceramic claws between the metallic ribs of the monster. Thinner tendrils erupted from the ends of…
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      13 – Silent Hospital

      13 – Silent Hospital Cover
      by Tower Curator “We don’t usually go to hospitals,” Leslie said as he advanced down the dark halls of the building, flashlight sweeping into each room he passed. Erika moved along just behind him, bat resting on her shoulder. “The ghosts too violent or something?” she asked as she checked a room on the opposite side of the hall. The only thing inside was an exam table coated in a thin layer of dust. No ghosts, no cultists. “No,” he said with a small chuckle. “They’re harder to sneak into,…
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      13 – Interacting with the Opposition

      13 – Interacting with the Opposition Cover
      by Tower Curator The Historical Gallery and Cultural Museum hadn’t changed much since Erika’s last visit. They had to put a wall back together here or there, but Erika hadn’t actually caused all that much damage to the place. The authorities shut down the entire building later that evening, citing ‘gas leaks’. This indicated that some intruders might have gotten in despite her shutting down the portal. If they had made a mess, cleaners had long since tidied it up. The incident made her wonder how they handled…
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      12 – Stalking with The Stalker

      12 – Stalking with The Stalker Cover
      by Tower Curator Erika walked alongside The Stalker, arm-in-arm, casually strolling the sidewalks late in the evening. Erika leaned up against The Stalker, squeezing together as another group passed by in the opposite direction. The streets weren’t crowded, but there were enough people to provide cover, mostly couples on dates heading in or out from the various bars and dives. “What are you doing?” The Stalker hissed as Erika dragged a finger down her spine. “We’re a couple on a date,” Erika whispered…
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      12 – Lonesome Investigations

      12 – Lonesome Investigations Cover
      by Tower Curator “Just wanted to ask about the status of that meeting,” Erika said, seated at her kitchen table with a notebook in one hand and her phone in the other. Carter sat at the table next to her, staring at her wristwatch—though he didn’t seem to do anything with it. Opposite both of them, Daniel had his laptop out, trying to find out the same thing Erika was trying to find out. What happened to The Fixer? “The Hermit has been under increasing stress as of late,” The Adjustment said, calm and…
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      11 – i – Anna

      11 – i – Anna Cover
      by Tower Curator “I’m going out, Mother,” Anna called out as she laced up her boots. “I should be back before dinner, but just in case I’m not, there is a salad in the fridge, all ready to eat.” The scrape-clack, tap-tap, scrape-clack, tap-tap of Mirabelle’s walker grew louder as she approached, until finally, the hunched woman stopped in the doorway. “I thought you had the day off,” she said, her voice trailing off. “Did the lab call you in again?” Anna patiently smiled as she pulled out a…
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      11 – Distance Provides an Illusion of Safety

      11 – Distance Provides an Illusion of Safety Cover
      by Tower Curator Erika stood in a narrow alley between a pair of large garbage bins, watching the minute hand of her watch fly over the numbers. A pair of fire escapes, mounted on opposing brick buildings, now sported GoPro cameras strapped to their lowest rungs, aimed down either end of the alley. With no doors close to Erika, anyone who entered the alley and got anywhere near her current position wouldn’t be both obvious and caught on one of the cameras. With a slight mental tug, Erika bent time around her watch,…
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